The Official Fleetwood Match Thread (Sponsored by Expect Nothing "for all your stress-free Saturday needs")

The Gills make the long journey to the Fylde coast this weekend hoping to kickstart their season after back-to-back 0-3 defeats in both cup and league.

Our opening league game of the season against Walsall saw a much improved Gills performance from the Luton game. At least, for the first 80 minutes it was a much improved performance. Despite our efforts and several goalscoring opportunities to that point, the score remained at 0-0. We'd suffered two first half injuries, one predictable, one unfortunate. Liam Gordon was already endearing himself to the fans on his debut when a shove in the back whilst mid-air caused an awkward landing and likely a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. The loss of Armani Little, aggravating an existing injury having had minimal pre-season, comes as no real surprise and no great loss.

Despite looking bright, at the 80 minute mark we conceded against the run of play and then proceeded to implode. The mental weakness shown by recent Gills sides was present again as we ended up on the wrong end of a three goal defeat and smattering of boos at the final whistle. Isn't it great to have the football back?

Having added two more casualties to our extensive injury list, we lost one more player from the squad during the week. Seb Palmer-Houlden's move North to the SPL with Motherwell for an undisclosed fee came somewhat out of the blue. His injury-affected season with us had been fairly undistinguished, yet there he was last night playing in Europe, running at defenders who had been playing in the Europa League final in May. You begin to wonder if we're just a place where players simply cannot flourish for whatever reason.

Fleetwood have enjoyed playing Chesterfield so far this season, the Spireites forming the opposition in both the first round of the League Cup and on the opening day of the league campaign. In both instances a single goal from Ched Evans was enough to give Fleetwood the spoils, first at home and then away last weekend. The Cods made ten permanent signings in the summer with two further loan arrivals. Among the new players are Andy Cannon, a solid midfield signing from Wrexham and Kane Thompson-Sommers who arrived for a fee from MK Dons after spending the early part of 2026 on loan with the artist formerly known as BFSE at Bristol Rovers. Of the 15 departures, Elliott Bonds and George Morrison departed to Salford and Stoke respectively for loadsa money, while former Gills loanee, Zech Medley moved to York. Fleetwood do have Raff Cirino, brother of Lenni, playing as right back, he's bound to score tomorrow...

The ongoing "emergency" goalkeeping situation continues, Ashley Maynard-Brewer finally making his debut for us last weekend having originally been loaned to us in July 2022 before getting maimed in pre-season and never featuring. I look forward to Ollie Wright's debut in 2030 when we get him in to replace another injured loan keeper. The forward positions will pick themselves tomorrow, we have two available in Hale and Goodwin, Sheldon Kendall is presumably still injured. Stan Sargent, our youth team option is also sigh injured. Dear footballing gods, please take pity on us.

Given the way the odds seemed stacked against us, it seems appropriate that the head to head makes for unpleasant reading, Gills with just four wins from 21 against the Cods, Fleetwood with ten. On our visits to Highbury Stadium (not that one!) since our first in 2012, we've come away with just one win and four draws.

For the highlights it'll be that sole victory three days before Christmas 2017 (thanks fixture computer!), Gills scoring twice (very nearly thrice) inside the first 15 minutes (goals from Parker and O'Neill) to come away winners in front of a sparse crowd of 2088.

For the first away game of the season there's not a great deal to be hopeful about in taking on a side who've won both games against the same fancied opponent and are yet to concede. Then you look at us, we're as patchy and threadbare as my garden lawn already and we're only two games in. Stranger things have happened than Gills somehow walking away with the three points tomorrow, but I'd snatch your hand off for a point right now.

Looking at the ticketing site we've sold around 200 for the terrace behind the goal and maybe 100 for the adjoining seated area. Fair play to each and every one of you. I normally make the first away day of the season, wherever it may be, but my heart sank when the fixtures were released. The only thing that would have possibly convinced me to attend tomorrow would have been the invention of an instantaneous teleportation device to get me to and from the game. Even then, it would have been a close run thing.

Safe travels if you're going, enjoy the game, and...

COYG!!!